


Better angels of our nature

by Tanaqui



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-24
Updated: 2013-08-24
Packaged: 2017-12-24 13:03:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/940307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanaqui/pseuds/Tanaqui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ever since he met Audrey, Duke's found himself listening to his conscience more often than he'd like. Sometimes, though, even he thinks it's right. Spoilers for <em>3.07 Magic Hour part one</em>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Better angels of our nature

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to Scribbler for the beta.

The screen door banged. Duke nodded to himself. Audrey was right: they shouldn't do this. Not now. 

And not because she'd only have twenty days to fix their friendship if they screwed it up, but because she wasn't thinking straight. Duke wanted her to make that choice—wanted her to choose to be with him so badly his body ached with the memory of kissing her—but only when it _was_ a choice and what she wanted. Not because her head was messed up and she was looking to grab on to the nearest experience and he happened to be the guy in front of her right then.

Draining his beer, he thought about getting himself another one, but that wasn't the answer either. He stood and dropped the empty bottle in the trash, adding the one Audrey had left on the desk. Pushing the door closed to keep out the cold breeze that was rattling the screen, he began to move round the room, picking up. Empty snack packets in the trash; the photocopied sheets that described the bare bones of Arla Cogan's life shuffled together and stacked on the nightstand on top of June Cogan's photo album; the full beer Audrey must have put down by the bed before she—he hurried his mind away from the memory of them kissing, trying to ignore the flush of heat that spread through him as he recalled the feel of her under his hands and lips.

Her hoodie still lay on the floor where she'd discarded it. He picked it up and folded it carefully, before putting it on the end of the bed. Best he was asleep, or pretending to be, when she came back, he decided.

He gave the couch an unloving look when he came out of the bathroom a few minutes later. It hadn't been very comfortable last night, and he suspected he was going to get even less sleep on it tonight. But it was the only option. Settling the pillow at one end, he began shaking out the blanket.

He tensed as he heard a sound from outside, and then the door opened, letting in the cold.

"Hey." Audrey glanced at him quickly, before turning and closing the door. "I guess I got enough air."

He saw that her arms and hair were misted with fine drops of water; it must have started raining again. She shivered slightly as she rested her hand against the door, pressing it closed a little longer than necessary.

"You're freezing." Duke took two quick steps across the room and wrapped the blanket he was holding around her.

"I'm okay—." She straightened, as if trying to shrug the blanket off, trying to shrug him off.

"No, you're not." This close to her, he could feel how chilled she was, and he firmly pushed the blanket back over her shoulders, before taking a step away.

She turned, putting her hands up to keep the blanket from slipping, and looked up at him. "Duke, I'm sorry. I—."

"It's okay." He shook his head. "I said, I'd do anything you needed me to. And right now, this is what you need me to do." He flicked his eyes sideways for a moment, his mouth twitching in dark amusement. "Not do. Whatever. It's cool. Now go take a shower and warm yourself up." He tipped his head toward the bathroom.

"Thank you." Audrey smiled up at him, one of those smiles that made his heart beat faster.

He swung away before he could change his mind. Listening to the sound of bathroom door closing, he swore he'd find a way to beat the Hunter, whether Audrey wanted it or not. Because he wanted them to have a chance to make this choice—to figure out what they meant to each other and what they wanted to do about it—for real.


End file.
